The Golden State Warriors were once among the teams expected to make a run for Kevin Durant. Thankfully, while the rumors were dwindling over the past few weeks, it seems they’ve completely been undercut by Durant noting he’s staying in Brooklyn.
While it might not have been the best possible scenario for Golden State, with Memphis starting to make waves, this is a huge win. Phoenix and Boston were other teams that continued to seem like dark horse contenders for Durant.
The Golden State Warriors no longer have to worry about a Western Conference contending adding a former MVP, and that should be relieving news.
Given that Memphis is among the teams starting to make noise with an ultra-young, uber-talented core, the Warriors don’t need them adding a former MVP and four-time scoring champion to the equation.
The Grizzlies already pushed the Warriors last season, losing in a six-game series in the Western Conference semifinals. Had that series gone to a Game 7, things might have ended differently for the Warriors.
Memphis is going to be among the many teams that, without doing anything, will improve this upcoming season. However, they won’t be trading their abundant draft capital for Durant though, as, per Adrian Wojnarowski, the summer’s rumor mill is now over.
In the end, Kevin Durant and the Nets played out in a similar way to Kobe Bryant and the Lakers in 2007: A tumultuous summer after a trade request, talks with teams, no deal and ultimately a decision to return to the franchise.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) August 23, 2022
Adding Durant would’ve made them title favorites, as would the Nets trading Durant to the Finals-making Celtics who already traded for Pacers star guard Malcolm Brogdon this offseason. The 6-foot-10 Durant is a rare mix of talent given his size, defense, and shooting.
He’s among the best playmakers in league history.
Durant inked one last massive deal, and that’s been a talking point surrounding his trade demand. Durant is locked up for the next four seasons. Having averaged 29.9 points per game, the 33-year-old forward still has a ton left in the tank.
The Warriors won two titles with Durant on their roster. He’s a franchise-changing player, and with Kyrie Irving and Ben Simmons in Brooklyn, they’ll have a shot to win the NBA Championship. However, not as good of one as if Durant had actually been traded to Boston or Memphis.
Durant staying in Brooklyn for the long-term future is a win-win scenario for both the Nets and Warriors along with every other contending team that wouldn’t have been able to compete with an already-stacked powerhouse adding a former MVP.